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Canine Instincts And Drives

The Source That Powers Dog Behavior

Dog drives and canine instincts are a powerful combination of energy and
skills that causes our dogs to display a variety of ancient natural behaviors.

Drives are the primal motivators in the dog’s mind, responsible for all dogs’
instinctual behaviors, essential skills intended to serve dogs’ most primal
purpose in life, passing its genes to the next generation; which involves
self-preservation, reproduction and survival of the fittest.
Therefore self-preservation, sex and aggression are your dog’s drives.

These drives control the mind in a substantial manner through hunger, thirst,
and hormonal changes that induces the animal to instinctually hunt, search
for water or mate.

While drives are what urges dogs into action, canine instincts are the
inborn/inherited ability to perform a task successfully, without prior
learning.

Instincts are fixed action patterns and ritualized behaviors performed
stereotypically by all members of the same species, motivated by the same
drives.

Therefore, all dogs display instinctual behaviors, although some dogs have
stronger or weaker drives and instincts than others, depending on the
influence of genetic manipulation, their environment, past experiences,
peers and human interaction.

A few examples of instinctual behavior are:

- Marking territory.

- Chasing squirrels or smalls animals.

- Sniffing other dogs’ private parts.

- Fighting over toys or food.

- Digging in the yard.

- Mounting other dogs.

Since some of these behaviors can be problematic or even dangerous, they
need to be redirected into more “civilized” activities that offer an outlet
to that compelling energy that causes them.

Dog sports, like fly ball, dog agility training, hunting, retrieving, or
simply hiking, jogging or walking with your dog are great activities, that
properly executed, can help you channel your dog’s energy and fulfill your
dog's physical and psychological needs.

In the other hand, while some behaviors need to be changed, there are other
instinctual behaviors that might not seem very civilized, like sniffing
private parts of dogs or humans, or sniffing urine markings and other dog’s
feces; however, these are part of your dog’s essential needs as an animal,
fundamental to your dog’s healthy development and proper interaction with
the world around him.

That's why it's so important as a dog owner to be able to recognize, understand
and learn how to manage these drives, considering the power they have over your
dog’s behavior and the fact that they are absolutely natural to dogs and cannot
be taken away.

The key to raising a well adjusted dog is finding balance between the wolf and
the pet in your dog. Understanding your dog’s right to behave like a real dog
and making sure his wilder side is properly fulfilled by providing an alternative
outlet to canine instincts and their instinctual behaviors.

Learn how to recognize and manage your dog's drives and instinctual behaviors: